I think one of the camps on difference between "internal" and "external" might be a camp I can understand.

External= Improving physicality, more physical power

Internal= Improving efficiency, better use of existing physical power

Is this a general idea that people hold as the difference between "internal" and "external" martial arts?

If so, then do people believe that modern athletics does not seek to train more efficient movements? Is it a generally held belief that athletes are people who only seek to become physically stronger, faster, conditioned, agile etc. but do not practice technique? Is it a belief that athletes spend most of their time lifting weights and doing drills only to improve physicality, but there is no "rewiring" done, and they do not seek to improve their movements?

all the questions can be answer with both yes and no. let me give you an example, then you can tell me if whether it falls into improving physicality or improving efficiency. i have a spoon rested on top of the table. i can pick it up with two fingers, my hand+fingers, my forearm + hand + fingers, my whole arm, my upper body+my arm + fingers, my entire body from toes to the fingers. which of those falls under improving physicality and which improve efficiency? and asking the same question from atheletics point of view.

for internal stuffs, the last item is what i am doing. why? because it's interesting to do so. and because it relates to another of those old saying in internal training.